The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-09-01

the train was too crowded, but re.
Elected that the trains returning to
Paris would probably be much less
crowded in the afternoon than those
going into the country.
"1n this supposition I was right. I
hung about the suburban railway sta
ton till d return train was about to
start. 1t was nearly empty, and q
douceur to the guard secured me the
privacy needed. By the time I re-
turned to Paris was q stout, benev-
olent.looking French priest, in com.
fortably. circumstances. My suit of
tweeds l had placed in my bag,
which took care to leave at the rail-
way station. Then made the best
OF my way to the Hotel Continental.
II was just in time for the table
d'hote, and as I took my seat no.
ticed with great satisfactian that my
transatlantic friend was sitting not
very far of, and that he had not g.
suspicion Of my identity. Nothing,
l knew, could be done Until after din:
ner, so I waited through the tedious
procession of courses as patiently as
l could, and when at last they came
to an end, l followed the American
and a httle group of men who sur
rounded him to the smoking.r room. It
was not exactly the place for priest,
but could not help that.
II sat down by little round table
near the American, but slightly be.
hind him, 50 as to be able to hear the
conversation without joining it unless
l wished. From time to time Offer
ed a. remark, speaking, OF course, in
French, to the man who sat next to
me, but for the most part smoked
my cigar and slipped my coffee in 81
lence.
GAS expected. it was not long be-
fore diamonds became the object of
conversation.
81 don't know much about dia.
monds myself said the American,
speaking IN his native tongue, but
I'm told by good judges that's about
as good astonea as you'll see anywhere
round almost exactly the phrases,
l said to myself, which the fellow used
TO me at Nice!)
"'You kin take q look at it, he
added carelessly, drawing off tho ring
bent forward, so as to see more clear
ly what was going on. One after an
other the men who were sitting near
examined and admired the ring. The
man next me was the last to look at
it. ..
"'A friend I hev at Buenos Ayres
sent it to me and had it cut myself
said the American.
at this point noticed that my
neighbor had finished his examination
OF the diamond, and I touched HIM,
jntimating that I too would like to
have look at il. He handed it to
me as a matter of course.
1t was the very ring which had been
exhibited in the same way at Nice.
l had the imitation one which had
been palmed off upon me ready in my
hand, and under pretense of trying
the effect of the gem on my finger,
easily substituted the one for the
other, slipped the false ring on my
finger, admired it, as in duty bound,
and then, pulling it off, handed it
back to my neighbor, who in turn
gave it to the American.
~ put the real diamond which
had secured into my pocket, and fin.
ished my coffee hastily, just as Broth.
er Jonathan was making an appoint
ment with q rich young Frenchman
to meet at the shop Of a fashionable
jeweler next morning and take his
opinion on the value of the gem.
"'And since it has taken your fam
cy,' said the unsuspicious American,
you shall hev it at the same sum the
leweler offers me for it. 1 can't say
fairer than that, now, can r.
'1went back to the railway station,
got my bag, changed my hat and coat
in the waiting=room, slipped into the
hotel, and next day set off for Cannes.
my only regret was that was un.
able to make a study of the Ameri-
cans face when the Paris jeweler put
a price on his beautiful diamond next
morning"